Automatically revolved washing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A washing apparatus is provided which comprises means for adjusting the revolving speed of nozzles about an axis of a head body. The revolution of the nozzles, which are revolved by the reaction forces of the jet flow of flushing water through the nozzles, operates a gear pump provided in the head body. The pressure load upon the gear pump is adjusted from the outside of the head body so that the revolving speed of the nozzles about the axis of the head body can be adjusted apart from the speed of the jet flow of the washing water through the nozzles.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Takara Sugino [56] References Cited Toyama'kenv Japan UNITED STATES PATENTS [21] P 9 1.435.140 11/1922 Rolland 1. 239/252 [22] Med 70 2,865,672 l2/l958 Guinard 239/252 [45] Patented Nov. 30, 1971 FOR IGN P ENTS 731 Assignee Sugino Cleaner Wks., Ltd. E AT Toyama-ken Japan 623,780 5/1949 Great Britain 2 H 32 P i i F b 10,19 9 476,072 11/1952 Italy 239/252 [33] Japan Primary E.\aminerM1 Henson Wood, Jr. [31 1 44/9856 Asxlrlanl l:xan1iner- Edwin D. Grant Attorney-Eliot S. Gerber [54] AUTOMATICALLY REVOLVED WASHING APPRATUS ABSTRACT: A washing apparatus is provided which com- 3 Clams 7 Drawmg prises means for adjusting the revolving speed of nozzles about 1 L- v A 1 1 239/227, an axis of a head body. The revolution of the nozzles, which 239/25 are revolved by the reaction forces of the jet flow of flushing 51 1m. (:1 B05b 3/00 water through the nozzles. Operates a gear P Provided in [50] Field of Search 239/227, lhe head y e p sure loud upon the gear ump is ad justed from the outside of the head body so that the revolving speed ofthe nozzles about the axis of the head body can be adusted apart from the speed of the jet flow of the washing water through the nozzles.

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ATTORNEY AUTOMATICALLY REVOLVED WASHING APPARATUS DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a washing apparatus for washing out dregs or rust attaching to the inner surface of a chemical reaction chamber, a polymerization tank, or a large diameter pipe, by the jet flow of liquid, and more particularly to a washing apparatus of the foregoing character of which nozzles are automatically revolved by the reaction of the jet flow through the nozzles.

Generally, when water or washing liquid under high pressure is jetted through a nozzle secured to a nozzle holder, the nozzle holder receives thrust in the opposite direction of the jet flow by the reaction thereof. If the nozzles are symmetrically secured on both sides of the nozzle holders capable of revolution so that the torque generated by the reaction of the jet flow is efi'ected upon the nozzle holders, the nozzle holders as well as the nozzles can be automatically revolved without receiving any external revolution force. The jet flow from the nozzles collides in turn with dregs on the surface to be washed and washes out the dregs by its impact.

Such a washing apparatus of the character in which the source of the revolving movement of the nozzles results from the reaction of the jet flow is useful especially for washing the inner cylindrical or spherical surfaces of many kinds of tanks and pipes. But, conventional washing apparatus of the foregoing character have had the disadvantage that the reaction force generated by the jet flow changes in accordance with variations of the jet energy, resulting in variations of the revolving speed of the nozzles. When the revolving speed of the nozzles is too high, because the jet energy is large, the jet flow will become fog, which reduces the impact effect of the jet flow. On the contrary, when the revolving speed of the nozzle is too low, because the jet energy is small, the washing efficiency will be lowered.

The effective movement of the jet flow as it collides with the surfaces to be washed or the economical speed of washing per unit hour should be changed in accordance with such conditions as the materials of the dregs, hardness of the dregs, amount of water to be jetted, jet pressure, and jet angle, but it is preferable to be about one-hundredth of the jet flow speed. Therefore, a preferable washing apparatus of this kind should have an adjusting means for the nozzle revolving speed, which can be adjusted apart from the adjustment of the jet energy of the washing water. The energy of the washing water is adjusted by a regulator valve provided in the high pressure water washing system.

An objective of the present invention is to provide an automatically revolving washing apparatus having adjusting means for the nozzle revolving speed which is small, simple in construction, and low in manufacturing cost.

According to the present invention, a hollow shaft forming a passage of washing liquid is mounted to rotate within a head body. Nozzle holders, for securing nozzles, are symmetrically mounted to the hollow shaft and communicate, by passages, to each nozzle. Each nozzle is secured to the nozzle holder so that the reaction force generated when the washing liquid is jetted through the nozzle acts to revolve the nozzle holder about the hollow shaft.

A motive member in a fluid pressure generating device is fixed to the hollow shaft and a moved member, which cooperates with the motive member, is mounted within a head body. It is preferable for the fluid pressure generating device to use a small and simple gear pump ofinscribed type in which an internal gear engages with an external gear. The tooth profile of each gear may adapt an involute curve or trochoid curve. In the head body, a closed fluid passage, including the fluid pressure generating device, is formed and a fluid amount adjusting means, easily operated from the outside of the head body, is mounted to control flow within the closed fluid passage.

When the nozzle holders are revolved about the hollow shaft by the jet flow through the nozzles, the hollow shaft connected to the nozzle holders is rotated, so that by operating the fluid pressure generating device, the fluid, for example turbine oil, in the closed fluid passage is moved and circulated. In accordance with a variation of the degree of opening of a valve (in the fluid amount adjusting means of the closed fluid passage) a pressure load upon the fluid pressure generating device is changed. The damping force of the hollow shaft fixing the motive member of the fluid pressure generating device is varied at will by the degree of opening of the valve of the fluid amount adjusting means and the revolving speed of the nozzles can be varied independently of the jet energy of the jet flow.

Further, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the nozzles are secured to the nozzle holders to rotate about an axis of the nozzle holders by the jet flow through the nozzles. A bevel gear fixed to the nozzle holders is meshed with a stationary bevel gear fixed to the head body, so that the rotation of the nozzle holders revolves them also about the hollow shaft. In this embodiment, when the fluid pressure generating device is operatively connected to the rotation of the hollow shaft in such a manner as mentioned above, a desired revolving speed of the nozzles is obtained by adjusting the degree of opening of the fluid amount adjusting means. The jet planes of this embodiment comprises a jet plane rotating about the nozzle holders and a plane in which the former jet plane revolves about the hollow shaft, thus the jet planes being, that is to say, three-dimensional planes.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as further objects and features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like figures are represented by like reference numerals. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned front view showing the essential structure of a washing apparatus according to this invention;

FIG, 2 is a partially sectioned side view of the same shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the same taken along line Ill- Ill in FIG. 1 and seen from the direction shown by arrow;

FIG, 4 is an enlarged sectional view for explaining the function ofa fluid amount adjusting valve;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a washing apparatus according to another embodiment of the invention, showing a nozzle assembly thereof;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are sectional views showing examples of usage of the washing apparatus of the first and the second embodiments, respectively.

In the drawings, a head body 10 comprises a rear disc 11, an intermediate disc 12, and a front disc 13, these discs being integrally connected by four reamer bolts 14. At its rear the rear disc 11 has screw threads screwed onto a nipple joint 17 which is connected with a hose or conduit pipe 16 for feeding washing water under high pressure, the pipe 16 being screwed onto nipple 17.

A bore is formed through the center portion of the head body 10. A hollow shaft 20 is closed at its fore end. Shaft 20 has screw-threaded opposite openings at both its sides near its fore end. Shaft 20 is rotatably mounted in the bore by means ofa thrust bearing 21, a radial bearing 22, and a needle bearing 23, each of the bearings being provided in each disc, respectively. A cup-shaped cover 24 is fixed to the fore end of the shaft 20 by a machine screw 25, the rear end of the cover being fitted in an annular groove 26 formed in the front face of the front disc 13. Reference numerals l8 and 19 designate an oil seal and an O-ring, respectively, both being for leakproofness.

Two noule holders 40 are connected, one to each of the openings of the hollow shaft 20, respectively, through holes 27 made on both sides of the cover 24. Each nozzle holder 40 consists of a cylindrical arm body 41 screwed to the screwthreaded opening of the hollow shaft 20, a nozzle-securing.

member 42 mounted to rotate about the peripheral surface of the arm body 41, and a washer 44 fixed to the side surface of the arm body 41 by a machine screw 43 so that the nozzlesecuring member 42 may not come ofi. A bore 45 within the arm body 41 is communicated at one end thereof with the bore of the hollow shaft 20 and at the other end thereof with guide passages 47 and 48 in the nozzle-securing member 42 through an annular groove 46 made in a circumferential contact surface between the arm body 41 and the nozzle securing member 42. An O-ring 49, for leakproofness, is provided in a circumferential contact surface between the arm body 41 and the nozzle securing member 42. Bevel gears 52 and 28 are fixed to the circumferential surfaces of their respective nozzlesecuring members 42 and the front disc 13 by setscrews 53 and 29, respectively, these bevel gears meshing with each other. Each nozzle-securing member 42 has a bevel gear 52 which meshes with the single bevel gear 28 on the front disc 13.

A cylindrical concave is fonned in one side of the front disc 13 to be eccentric with respect to the hollow shaft 20, the side being opposite to the intermediate disc 12, see FIG. 3. Within the concave 15 an internal gear 31, having a trochoid curve for its tooth profile, is snugly fitted to rotate. An exter nal gear 32 meshed with the internal gear 31 is fixed to the hollow shaft by a key 33. The external gear 32 and the internal gear 31 thus constitute a gear pump 30 or a so-called trochoid pump.

A plane of the intermediate disc 12 opposite to the front disc 13 acts as a sidewall of the gear pump 30. That sidewall has elongated and circular arc-shaped grooves 34 and 35 serving as an inlet and an outlet of the gear pump, respectively. Passages 36 and 37 communicating with the grooves 34 and 35, respectively, are made in the intermediate disc, the ends of these passages 36 and 37 being opened at a plane of the intermediate disc 12 opposite to the rear disc 11.

A fluid amount adjusting valve 60 is located at the rear disc 11 above the opening of the passages 36 and 37. The fluid amount adjusting valve 60 is connected to a knob 61 exposed outside of the rear disc 11 and comprises, as shown in FIG. 4, a screw portion 62 engaged with a screw-threaded bore in the rear disc and a cylindrical valve 63 around which an O-ring 64 for leakproofness is fitted. A spring 65 acts to prevent the adjusting valve from coming loose.

In operation, after fixing nozzles 50 to the guide passages 48, which are symmetrical with respect to the axis of the arm body 41, and closing the other guide passages 47 with a plug 51, the washing apparatus is suspended in a tank 70, as shown in FIG. 6.

When a washing liquid or washing water under high pressure is fed into the hollow shaft 20 through the hose or the pipe 16, the water is jetted from each nozzle 50 by way of the bores 45, the annular grooves 46, and the guide passages 48, generating the torque by means of reaction force of the jet flow. The torque rotates the nozzle securing member 42 about the axis of the arm body 41. At the same time, each nozzlesecuring member 42 also revolves about the hollow shaft 20 since it has the bevel gear 52 meshing with the bevel gear 28 stationarily fixed to the front disc 13. Thereby the hollow shaft 20 connected to the nozzle-securing member, the external gear 32 fixed to the hollow shaft 20, and the internal gear 31 engaged with the external gear 32 are rotated in the same direction and cause the gear pump 30 to operate. When the gear pump 30 is operated, oil, for example, turbine oil filled in the closed passage formed of the groove 35 of the pump outlet, the passage 36, the opening portion of the fluid amount adjusting valve 60, the passage 37, and the groove 34 of the pump inlet circulates therethrough.

When the space formed below the valve 63 is adjusted by rotating the knob 61 of the adjusting valve 60 in the right or left direction, the pressure load upon the external gear 32 is increased or decreased with the result that the number of revolutions of the hollow shaft 20 as well as the am body 41 connected to the hollow shaft is increased or decreased. Thus, the rotary speed of the nozzles is adjustable and can be determined only by operating the knob 61 independently of the fluid amount or fluid pressure fed into the hollow shaft 20 under high pressure.

When the washing apparatus according to the present invention was operated under the following washing conditions, shown by way of example, the entire inner surface can be washed completely for about 15 to 20 minutes by one operator outside of the tank. In a conventional washing operation, three operators have to enter into the tank for the operation, so that not only the operation is dangerous, but also the lining surface in the tank may beinjured and it takes long hours to wash the inner surface completely.

Washing conditions l Shape and Material of the Object to be Washed:

Polymerization Reaction Tank (cylindrical) Diameter: 2,600 millimeters The total length: 4,000 millimeters Material: Glass lining at the inner surface (2) Kinds and Conditions of the Attachment:

The thickness of semihard polymer: 25-30 millimeters The area of the attachment: whole inner surface (3) Specification of Washing:

Injection pressure: 300 kg./cm.

Injection amount: I20 -/min.

Number of revolutions of the nozzle: 30 r.p.m.

As shown in FIG. 5, different from the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, each nozzle 50 may be secured to the end of both nozzle-securing members 40 so that the nozzles may be provided symmetrically and in the opposite directions with respect to the hollow shaft 20. The remaining guide passages are closed by the plugs 51.

FIG. 7 shows a condition in which the washing apparatus shown in FIG. 5 is applied to wash the inner surface ofa pipe 71 of large diameter, greater than 2,000 millimeters, such as submarine oil pipes, underground pipes, and pipes on the ground. In this case, the bevel gear 52, which normally is fixed to the nozzle-securing member 42, may be removed and a supporting guide 72 convenient for inserting the washing apparatus to the deep position of the pipe provided. In this embodiment, it is also possible to adjust the nozzle-revolving speeds to the most suitable speed by rotating the knob 61 for the fluid amount adjusting valve 60.

Iclaim:

1. An automatically in combination:

a head body adapted to be connected to a pipe passage through which a washing fluid under high pressure is supplied;

a pair of nozzle holders, each nozzle holder secured to at least one nozzle and forming a fluid passage in communication with the head body tojet the washing fluid through the nozzle;

a revolving and supporting device for the nozzle holders which device revolves the nozzle holders about an axis of the head body by means of the reaction forces generated by the jet flow through the nozzles; and

control means for the nozzle-revolving speed comprising means for generating fluid pressure, said means consisting of a motive member mounted within the head body and rotated together with the rotation of the nozzle holders and a moved member cooperating with the motive member, a closed fluid passage communicating with an inlet and an outlet of the fluid pressure generating means, and a fluid amount adjusting means provided to control flow in the closed fluid passage;

wherein said revolving and supporting device for the nozzle holders comprises a hollow shaft closed at one end thereof and mounted to rotate within the head body; said pair of nozzle holders being fixed at both sides of the hollow shaft; and the motive member of the fluid passage generating means being mounted on the hollow shaft;

wherein each noule holder comprises an arm body screwed to the hollow shaft and a nozzle-securing member mounted to rotate about the peripheral surface of the arm revolved washing apparatus comprising 2. An automatically revolved washing apparatus comprising in combination:

a head body adapted to be connected to a pipe passage through which a washing fluid under high pressure is supplied;

a pair of nozzle holders, each nozzle holder secured to at least one nozzle and forming a fluid passage in communication with the head body to jet the washing fluid through the nozzle;

a revolving and supporting device for the nozzle holders which device revolves the nozzle holders about an axis of the head body by means of the reaction forces generated by the jet flow through the nozzles; and

control means for the nozzle-revolving speed including means for generating fluid pressure, said pressure means consisting of a gear pump having an external gear mounted within the head body and rotated together with the rotation of the nozzle holders and an internal gear meshing with said external gear, said control means including a closed fluid passage communicating with an inlet and an outlet of the fluid pressure generating means. and a fluid amount adjusting means provided to control flow in the closed fluid passage.

3. An automatically revolved washing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tooth profile of each of the gears forming the gear pump follows a trochoid curve. 

1. An automatically revolved washing apparatus comprising in combination: a head body adapted to be connected to a pipe passage through which a washing fluid under high pressure is supplied; a pair of nozzle holders, each nozzle holder secureD to at least one nozzle and forming a fluid passage in communication with the head body to jet the washing fluid through the nozzle; a revolving and supporting device for the nozzle holders which device revolves the nozzle holders about an axis of the head body by means of the reaction forces generated by the jet flow through the nozzles; and control means for the nozzle-revolving speed comprising means for generating fluid pressure, said means consisting of a motive member mounted within the head body and rotated together with the rotation of the nozzle holders and a moved member cooperating with the motive member, a closed fluid passage communicating with an inlet and an outlet of the fluid pressure generating means, and a fluid amount adjusting means provided to control flow in the closed fluid passage; wherein said revolving and supporting device for the nozzle holders comprises a hollow shaft closed at one end thereof and mounted to rotate within the head body; said pair of nozzle holders being fixed at both sides of the hollow shaft; and the motive member of the fluid passage generating means being mounted on the hollow shaft; wherein each nozzle holder comprises an arm body screwed to the hollow shaft and a nozzle-securing member mounted to rotate about the peripheral surface of the arm body; said nozzles are secured to the nozzle-securing members to be symmetrical with each other and to make the nozzle-securing member rotate about the arm body; and a bevel gear fixed to the head body is engaged with a bevel gear fixed to the nozzle-securing member.
 2. An automatically revolved washing apparatus comprising in combination: a head body adapted to be connected to a pipe passage through which a washing fluid under high pressure is supplied; a pair of nozzle holders, each nozzle holder secured to at least one nozzle and forming a fluid passage in communication with the head body to jet the washing fluid through the nozzle; a revolving and supporting device for the nozzle holders which device revolves the nozzle holders about an axis of the head body by means of the reaction forces generated by the jet flow through the nozzles; and control means for the nozzle-revolving speed including means for generating fluid pressure, said pressure means consisting of a gear pump having an external gear mounted within the head body and rotated together with the rotation of the nozzle holders and an internal gear meshing with said external gear, said control means including a closed fluid passage communicating with an inlet and an outlet of the fluid pressure generating means, and a fluid amount adjusting means provided to control flow in the closed fluid passage.
 3. An automatically revolved washing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tooth profile of each of the gears forming the gear pump follows a trochoid curve. 